Offering everyday tips to the everyday homeowner. Beyond The Stage Homes is a division of Style Corporation.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

The Dos and Don'ts of Hiring a Designer

DO

·Provide
information regarding your style

oThis may be
magazine photos, Pinterest pins, or physical samples – you don’t even have to
know what you like about something, but the more information that you can
provide to your designer, the better

·Provide
Samples

oIf you have
already selected any renovation materials, be sure to have samples of those
items available for your designer

·Provide Creative
Autonomy

oThis is
something that many homeowners struggle with – remember that you hired your
designer for their expert, professional opinion, and there may be times where
you will need to trust them to take you outside of your comfort zone.

oOur goal is
to integrate your style with our expertise to create a design plan that you
will love for years to come. The more autonomy that we have, the easier it is
to create this, but we want to ensure that we do so with your trust and
understanding – if at any time you do not feel that you are being heard, or are
not comfortable with a decision that has been made, be sure to address it as
soon as possible to avoid any issues or unnecessary costs.

oIt’s all in
our head - we understand that you may not always be able to see what we see!
Sometimes, you may simply need to take a leap of faith and trust, but if this
is something that you are not capable of, ask, and we will do our best to
provide a visual representation of our vision.

·Understand
what your roles are

oThis is
important to address in the beginning, to ensure that there is no confusion.

oIf you are
uncertain, ask questions.

oYour designer
should provide you with a contract outlining the scope of the project and any
fees, payment schedule, etc – this is intended to protect both you, and your
designer

DON’T

·Rush

oQuality takes
time! Plan for your design or renovation project – by allowing the proper time
needed, your designer will have more flexibility in negotiating the best
quality and price for each product/finish selection.

oAllow
sufficient time for create the proper plans for any renovations PRIOR to
beginning construction.

·Be afraid to
speak up

oIt’s your
house, and your money! The role of a designer is to create a space that fits
your style and needs – if you do not like something, be sure to address it with
your designer.

oYou get final
say, but remember that you hired a designer for a reason – sometimes you just
need to trust us and our final vision.

·Withhold your
budget

oI cannot
stress this one enough! Be sure to communicate where your comfort zone is, and
plan for a contingency (as a general rule, we recommend allocating
approximately 5%-10% of your total budget for design services, however this can
vary by project and designer).

oWe often find
that clients are afraid to reveal their budget, for fear that we as designers
will spend every dime of it. Our role is not to maximize your budget, but to
maximize your dollar. The most effective way for us to do this is by ensuring
that we can purchase quality products, and have the freedom to explore low-cost
options when available.

·Keep things
bottled up

oAll relationships take some element of work, so it may
take a little bit of time initially to work out the kinks of understanding, and
setting, appropriate boundaries. Be sure to clearly communicate with your
designer to ensure that you are on the same page.